Best of Toronto
The Best Bubble Tea in Toronto
The best bubble tea in Toronto is a sweet, satisfying marriage of refreshing drink and light snack, at once quenching thirst and sating the urge to chew something. Most know it as a tea-based beverage mixed with fruit or fruity syrups and sometimes milk, combined with toothsome tapioca pearls. Whether served in a tall glass or a plastic cup, both the liquid and tapioca are enjoyed through an extra-wide plastic straw.
What few know is that the most authentic definition of bubble tea does not necessarily include tapioca. The "bubble" of bubble tea actually refers to the foam that forms at the top of the drink after the tea and flavourings are shaken together, and not the tapioca pearls themselves. Most vendors in the GTA are aware of this common misconception and will hand you a drink that includes tapioca "bubbles" when you order a bubble tea -- otherwise, there's usually an option to add tapioca for a few cents extra.
The tapioca pearls may be startling at first -- I've had friends recoil after a first taste, finding the texture too slimy or the act of chewing while drinking too strange. On the other hand, many find the combination instantly addictive. Luckily for such fans (like myself), bubble tea in Toronto is widely available. Many of the listed locations are chains spanning the downtown core as well as north of Steeles.
Here is the best bubble tea in Toronto as voted by readers of this site.
Tea Shop 168
This multi-national franchise is the largest bubble tea chain in Canada. Some locations will offer Taiwanese delicacies in addition to bubble tea. Look for locations in the Chinatown area downtown, or the indoor bubble tea paradise that is Pacific Mall in Markham. More »
Bubble Tease
Another popular bubble tea chain, Bubble Tease stores serve up drinks under several different categories - Milky Bubbles, Bubble Teases, Hotties, Special Tease, Bubble Chillin', and Fresh n' Fruity Flavours. The location at Bloor and Spadina has window seats with a good view of the street, but it isn't hard to find locations elsewhere. More »
Ten Ren's
The Ten Ren's company is truly passionate about the art of tea and ginseng. Order a skillfully crafted bubble tea as you explore a selection of pu-erh, white, green, black, and herbal teas. Find one of their locations at Dundas and Huron. More »
Real Fruit
When I order a rose-flavoured bubble tea from Real Fruit, I receive a little something extra - a fragrant cluster of pink rosebuds floating atop my drink. Visit a Real Fruit location and expect the usual bubbly deliciousness as well as a host of sweet surprises (including, of course, real fruit bubble tea). More »
Go For Tea
Located just south of Steeles on Midland, this teahouse definitely makes bubble tea a classier, sit-down-restaurant affair. Want a main dish of lamb with cumin to go with your bubble tea? How about a snack of grilled squid, or some satay pork noodles in soup? Go For Tea offers a huge menu with a variety of Asian meals and snacks as well as a big selection of bubble tea. Bubble tea is $3.50 at the minimum, and tapioca is an extra 50 cents. More »
Green Gene
If you're not looking for it carefully, you might walk right past this tiny Bay and Dundas bubble tea store. That would be a shame, since their service is fast and friendly and their beverages delectable (yum, yum, milky banana!). Try their papaya, passion fruit, and cappuccino flavours as well. More »
Fruit Jungle
You'll find Fruit Jungle in one place only - First Markham Place shopping centre at Woodbine and Highway 7. For those living downtown, it might be a bit far, but their unique, honest take on the bubble tea experience makes it worth the hike. They swear by three golden rules. No powder flavours or syrups, but real fresh juice. No ice cubes, but chilled drinks. And perfectly cooked tapioca pearls every time. Their flavours are something different as well. Try a juice blend of green and red grapes, blended asian pear, or a mango and watermelon juice bubble tea. More »
E Tea
Chinatown's E Tea (on Dundas) is bubble tea in a modern, relaxed setting. Order in and your bubble tea comes in a tall glass. A veritable rainbow of fruit flavour powders can be seen behind the counter by the door, but their drinks taste impressively realistic and not overly artificial. Try their guava and honeydew flavours. More »
Destiny Tea Cafe
Destiny Tea Cafe is a huge, relaxed environment, perfect for long conversations over a few sweet drinks. Take your friends here if you're looking for a spacious, comfy teahouse that serves up a variety of Asian snacks and desserts. You'll find their locations at Highway 7 and West Beaver Creek in Thornhill, and on Silver Star Boulevard in Scarborough. More »
Trung Tam Giai Khat
This Dundas and Huron establishment is always buzzing, and for good reason. At $2.50 for a small bubble tea, it beats much of the competition on price without sacrificing quality. The pearls are plentiful and the tea is tasty. Trung Tam Giai Khat also offers milkshakes, smoothies, and special iced coffee. More unusual bubble tea flavours include sesame, jackfruit, durian, and avocado. More »
Tasty House
Tasty House not only specializes in bubble tea, but also savoury and sweet crepes, fruit slushies, and milkshakes. Some of the more unique bubble tea flavours they list include Japanese style burnt coffee, black prune, wheat, and peanut, among the more classic fruit varieties. More »
Bubble Bubble
This North York bubble tea hotspot offers promotions such as movie ticket deals with the purchase of bubble teas. What could be sweeter? In addition to bubble tea, you can also order up vegetable juices, espressos, and traditional herb and fruit teas. More »
Discussion
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Watermelon juice with bubbles from 168 is my other favourite choice. Yum!
TenRen is the only editable option on this list.
Until Toronto eats Markham for breakfast, it should not be included.
The fact that you have to click "zoom out" several times on the map is telling.
I can't wait to see next week's Best Pancakes in Toronto list, which will include places located in Seattle, Rio de Janeiro and Baghdad.
First of all, I'd like to clarify that these locations were all nominated by readers like yourselves on this site, and voted as the best bubble tea locations in Toronto, as it says in the last sentence of the opening text.
As someone who has lived in Markham and commuted downtown for over 7 years, I can assure you that the trip is not all that bad (certainly not an hour by car unless you're going at a predictably bad time). It can take as few as 25 minutes on a weekend or a lazy hour, and I'd do it in a heartbeat for a fun afternoon of experiencing new food and drink with friends. Wouldn't you, on the occasion?
Also, if blogTO's readership agrees by vote that the majority of the best bubble tea accessible to Torontonians is north of Bloor or even Steeles, then is it not better to at least be informed of these places, as opposed to a watered-down list of less popular locations? Maybe it's not what a Toronto reader would immediately expect from a Toronto site, but we blogTO folk try to go above and beyond your expectations sometimes. :)
Ivan and Bryan, I'll make the correction about the other two Fruit Jungle locations, thanks.
And thanks all for your comments. Enjoy your bubble tea wherever you find it!
Also, Go4Tea really is a less popular gem. The one on highway 7 is fantastic.
Aside from Ten Ren's are they are GOOD recommendations downtown? If it tastes like powder, forget it!
Stop being such indie pussholes
My second favorite has to be either Ten Ren or Natural 9 (on Spadina Ave), but the bubble tea at Tao Tea Leaf has better flavours and tapioca. Apparently they soak the tapioca pearls in honey as well as fruit sugar, and you can really taste it.
I used to work there, the are no breaks during 8-10 hour shifts and the managers are cheap!
and ten ren is taiwan btw.
PS the fact that 168 is at the top of this list goes to show how uneducated in regards to real bubble tea we actually are. I have friends that work there and swear they would never drink any of the stuff that they make lol. At least at tenren, having a drink isnt so bad. I'll say that fruit jungle is the best in the GTA at this time though their popular items are their slushes which contain no tea, only ice cream and ice. When will someone offer some real bubble tea here in Toronto!
I was at 'Destiny'! Was more than prepared to add it to our website.. but I really don't see what it's doing on this list. It's just a big place, with really old menus and not so great bubble tea. North Toronto has much better bubble tea to offer.
Green Grotto's tea is incredibly well prepared, and rich in flavour, and floral bouquet. Also, they are very consistent in their preparation of tapioca, which is always the right texture.
Definitely check them out if you're ever in the area :)
Guaranteed winner.